Dong Cuong Temple
Yên Bái(Đền Đông Cuông)
Overview & history
Dong Cuong Temple, also called the Ve Quoc (Nation-Guarding) Temple, stands on the right bank of the Red River in Ben Den hamlet, Dong Cuong commune, Van Yen district, Yen Bai province, 55 km from Yen Bai city. It is the principal seat of the Second Mother Goddess of the Forests (Mau De nhi Thuong Ngan) in the Vietnamese Three Palaces tradition.
History
The temple honors the Forest Mother Goddess together with ethnic-minority heroes of the 13th-century resistance against the Mongol invasions, hence its “Ve Quoc” name recorded in the geography Dai Nam nhat thong chi; the 18th-century scholar Le Quy Don listed it among the “sacred vestiges”. Destroyed in wartime, it was rebuilt from 1995 on the old foundations and ranked a national relic in January 2009.
Architecture and festivals
The complex comprises the main temple and three shrines to the Lady, the Boy and the Duke, built in the “Dinh” plan in Ly–Tran style with curved twin-dragon roofs and ironwood columns lacquered in red and gold. A repository of the Tay Khao people's spiritual culture, the temple hosts major early-year festivals drawing throngs of pilgrims to this cradle of Mother Goddess worship.
Photos
📷 Contribute photosVisiting tips
- Dress modestly; remove hats and keep quiet inside the main hall.
- Incense, flowers and offerings are usually sold right outside the gate; light an odd number of sticks (1 or 3).
- Most pagodas open from early morning to evening and are free to enter (some major sites charge a small scenic fee).
- Full-moon days, the 1st of the lunar month and Tet are very crowded; visit on weekday mornings for a quiet experience.
- Ask permission before photographing inside shrines; do not touch statues or altar objects.
Read more & references
Useful links to learn more before your visit: